New occurrences of mycotoxins have been reported in the US and Canadian corn and wheat crops in the past week, according to Neogen’s Mycotoxin Report on September 12.
Corn
Seventy-four percent of the corn crop is in good to excellent condition, and 7 percent is in poor to very poor condition.
There are drought concerns in areas of the Southeast, Ohio, New York, the Northern Great Plains and California. Drought increases the risk for aflatoxin, but by this time of year, additional rain in drought-affected regions will not decrease the aflatoxin risk.
The forecast bumper corn crop also can lead to increased toxin risk, as a larger harvest creates the need for outside ground piles, and low prices will delay farmer selling, leading to longer periods of storage.
In the past week, there was a new higher confirmed reports of aflatoxin in corn in Texas.
This is in addition to previous reports from:
- Texas
- Nebraska
- Oklahoma
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- Kansas
- Alabama
There were previous confirmed reports of fumonisin in corn came from Texas and Oklahoma.
Wheat
The spring wheat harvest is 91 percent complete – well ahead of the five year average.
A new report of deoxynivalenol (DON) in wheat was confirmed in Saskatchewan, Canada. This is in addition to Neogen’s previously reported list:
- Montana
- North Dakota
- Pennsylvania
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- Kansas
- Missouri
Barley
The barley harvest is 91 percent complete, ahead of the five-year average.
Bumper crops have filled storage capacity, making temporary storage necessary, meaning that quality management will be key to marketing grain this year.
DON has been reported in barley in the following states and provinces:
- Saskatchewan
- Delaware
- Maryland
- North Dakota
